Steerable sled provided with a rudder bow



United States Patent 3,097,861 STEERABLE SLED PROVIDED WITH A RUDDER BOW Stephen Allen Holcomb, 3608 E. 54th St., Maywood, Calif. Filed Jan. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 86,179 2 Claims. (Cl. 280-21) The present invention relates to improvements in a steerable sled provided with a rudder bow. It consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a sled body having a rudder bow swingably secured thereto and being swingable in either lateral direction, whereby the course of the sled may be controlled, the angular swinging movement of the rudder bow being limited by novel means.

'Moreover, it is proposed in this invention to provide tension springs for yieldingly returning the rudder bow to a central position, these springs being concealed within the sled body so as to leave the deck of the sled unobstructed by the springs. This arrangement will prevent the springs from injuring the user of the sled, and further prevent the springs from being fouled by snow, ice and debris, when the sled is utilized in snow sports.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues. The novel features will be set forth in the appended claims.

Drawing For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, forming par-t of this specification, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of my steerable sled provided with a rudder bow, partly in section, the sectional part being taken along the line I-I of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIGURE 1.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed Description Referring to the drawing in detail, I provide a sled body designated generally at A having a rudder bow B disposed to extend ahead of the sled body. This rudder bow is swingably secured to the sled body for horizontal swinging movement in either lateral direction about the axis of a vertical steering shaft C.

It will be noted from FIGURE 2 that the sled body A has a front section D of reduced thickness, as compared with the height of the sled body. Moreover, the rudder bow B has a recess E formed in the upper part of its trailing section F. The reduced section D of the sled body A projects into and is accommodated in the recess E of the rudder bow B, with the decks and 11 of the sled body and the rudder bow, respectively, being disposed in the same plane.

Particular attention is called to the fact that the sled body A defines a semi-cylindrical leading edge 12. Also, the rudder bow B is fashioned with a pair of arcuate trailing edges 13, one being disposed on each lateral side of the longitudinal axis 14 of the rudder bow (see FIG- URE 1). As disclosed by the dot-dash lines in FIGURE 1, each of the arcuate trailing edges 13 of the rudder bow is shaped to abut the semi-cylindrical leading edge 12 of the sled body throughout the entire length of the arcuate trailing edge, when the rudder bow is swung about the axis of the steering shaft C through a predetermined angular movement, thereby limiting the angular 3,097,861 Patented July 16, 1963 swinging movement of the rudder bow. The long surface of the arcuate trailing edge 13 that will contact with the semi-cylindrical leading edge 12 will provide a firm and positive stop for limiting the lateral swinging of the rudder bow relative to the sled body. i

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, an anchor hub 15 is secured in the bottom portion of the rudder bow B by screws 16. The steering shaft C has its lower end pr-ojecting into this anchor hub and fixed thereto by a pin 17. It will be observed that the steering shaft extends upwardly through a bearing 18, the latter being fixed to the rudder bow B by screws 19. Furthermore, the shaft C projects through lower and upper bearings 20 and 21, respectively, which are provided in the reduced front section D of the sled body A. The bearings 20 and 21 are fixed to the reduced front section D by screws 22 and 23, respectively. The lower bearing 20 rests against the bearing 18 so as to space the underneath surface 24 of the reduced front section D from the upper surface 25 of the trailing section F of the rudder bow B, thus facilitating the lateral swinging of the rudder bow so as to steer the sled on a desired course.

For the purpose of yieldingly returning the rudder bow B to a central position, as shown in FIGURE 1, wherein its longitudinal axis 14 will be aligned with the long-i- =tudinal axis 25 of the sled body A, a pair of tension springs G have been provided. These springs are disposed in a compartment 26 formed in the front reduced section D of the sled body. Thus the springs G are disposed below the plane of the decks 10 and 11, and are concealed within the confines of the sled body. This arrangement will protect the user of the sled from injury by the springs G, and the springs will be protected against snow, ice or other debris.

As disclosed in FIGURES 1 and 2, a transverse rod 27 is fixed to the steering shaft C, with its opposite ends projecting from this shaft. The rod 27 is disposed within the compartment 26. It will be observed that each tension spring G has one of its ends secured by an eyelet bracket 28 to an end of the transverse rod 27, and its other end is anchored to the sled body by eyelet brackets 29. These tension springs are arranged on opposite lateral sides of the steering shaft C, and are operable to yieldingly urge the rudder bow -B into a central position (see full lines in FIGURE 1).

In order to permit the transverse rod 27 and the springs G to be assembled, a removable plate 30 has been provided in the reduced front section D of the sled body so as to give access to the compartment 26. This plate may be secured in place by screws 31, with the plate being disposed flush with the deck 10 of the sled body.

For the purpose of turning the steering shaft C in the desired direction, I have provided a handle bar 32 which is fixed to the upper part of the steering shaft to extend from opposite sides of the shaft C. Hand grips 33 are arranged on opposite ends of the handle bar, as shown in FIGURE 1. These grips may be grasped by the user of the sled, when assuming a prone position on the deck 10 of the sled body A; or they may be engaged by the users feet, when occuping a sitting position on the sled body. Runners 34 and 35 may be provided on the sled body A and the rudder bow B, respectively.

Obviously, the sled may be fabricated from any suitable material, and have the proper width and length to accommodate the user. The sled may be steered by the handle bar 32 to follow a desired course; and when the user relaxes pressure on the handle bar, the tension springs G will return the rudder bow B to a straight forward central position.

I claim:

1. In a steerable sled provided with a rudder bow: a sled body defining a semi-cylindrical leading edge; a

rudder bow disposed to extend ahead of the sled body and being swingably secured to the latter for horizontal swinging movement in either lateral direction about a vertical axis; the vertical axis acting as a pivotal axis for the rudder bow, said axis being spaced forwardly of the center of the circle defined by the leading edge; the rudder bow being fashioned with a pair of arcuate trailing edges, one being disposed on each lateral side of the longitudinal axis of the rudder bow; each of the arcuate trailing edges of the rudder bow having a radius equal to the radius of the circle defined by the semi-cylindrical leading edge and adapted to abut the semi-cylindrical leading edge of the sled body throughout the entire length of that arcuate trailing edge when the arcuate trailing edge is moved against said semi-cylindrical edge, when the rudder bow is swung about said vertical axis through a predetermined angular movement, thereby limiting the angular swinging movement of the rudder bow.

2. In a steerable sled provided with a rudder bow: a sled body having a front section of reduced thickness, as compared with the height of the sled body; a rudder bow disposed to extend ahead of the sled body, and having a recess formed in its upper trailing section; the front reduced section of the sled body projecting into and being accommodated in the recess of the rudder bow; a vertically arranged steering shaft having its lower end fixed to the rudder bow; the steering shaft extending upwardly through bearings in the reduced front section of the sled body; said reduced front section defining a semicylindrical leading edge; the rudder bow being swingable in either lateral direction about the axis of the steering shaft; said axis being spaced forwardly of the center of the circle defined by the semi-cylindrical leading edge; the rudder bow being fashioned with a pair of arcuate trailing edges, one being disposed on each lateral side of the longitudinal axis of the rudder bow; each of the arcuate trailing edges of the rudder bow having a radius equal to the radius of the circle defined by the semicircular leading edge and adapted to abut the semicylindrical leading edge of the sled body throughout the entire length of that arcuate trailing edge when the arcuate trailing edge is moved against said semi-cylindrical edge, when the rudder bow is swung through a predetermined angular movement, thereby limiting the angular swinging movement of the rudder bow.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 512,123 Rogers Jan. 2, 1894 791,820 Sattler June 6, 1905 1,364,612 Church Jan. 4, 1921 1,453,948 Pottala May 1, 1923 2,041,982 Van Doren et a1 May 26, 1936 2,043,374 Gelbman June 9, 1936 2,605,112 Kierke July 29, 1952 

1. IN A STEERABLE SLED PROVIDED WITH A RUDDER BOW: A SLED BODY DEFINING A SEMI-CYLINDRICAL LEADING EDGE; A RUDDER BOW DISPOSED TO EXTEND AHEADOF THE SLED BODY AND BEING SWINGABLY SECURED TO THE LATTER FOR HORIZONTAL SWINGING MOVEMENT IN EITHER LATERAL DIRECTION ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS; THE VERTICAL AXIS ACTING AS A PIVOTAL AXIS FOR THE RUDDER BOW, SAID AXIS BEING SPACED FORWARDLY OF THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE DEFINED BY THE LEADING EDGE; THE RUDDER BOW BEING FASHIONED WITH A PAIR OF ARCUATE TRAILING EDGES, ONE BEING DISPOSED ON EACH LATERAL SIDE OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE RUDDER BOW; EACH OF THE ARCUTATE TRAILING EDGES OF THE RUDDER BOW HAVING A RADIUS EQUAL TO THE RADIUS OF THE CIRCLE DEFINED BY THE SEMI-CYLINDRICAL LEADING EDGE AND ADAPTED TO ABUT THE SEMI-CYLINDRICAL LEADING EDGE OF THE SLED BODY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THAT ARCUATE TRAILING EDGE WHEN THE ARCUATE LENGTH EDGE IS MOVED AGAINST SAID SEMI-CYLINDRICAL EDGE, WHEN THE RUDDER BOW IS SWUNG ABOUT SAID VERTICAL AXIS THROUGH A PREDETERMINED ANGULAR MOVEMENT, THEREBY LIMITING THE ANGULAR SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE RUDDER BOW. 